Devices and methods for improving a golfer&#39;s swing

ABSTRACT

Embodiments of the disclosure provide devices for stabilizing the foot of a golfer during a swing to improve the golfer&#39;s form. Embodiments disclose a variety of strap designs to hold a spike, such as a golf tee, underneath the sole of the golf shoe. The spike engages the ground to limit the movement of the foot during a swing to improve the mechanics of a golfer&#39;s swing. Some embodiments include a strap to which the golf tee is removably secured. Other embodiments provide for golf shoe designs which incorporate the spike or an attachment mechanism for a spike.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/500,470 filed on Jun. 23, 2011.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

This invention relates to devices for improving a golfer's swing. In particular, the invention provides a training aid for stabilizing the golfer's front (relative to the direction of travel of the ball) foot during the swing.

BACKGROUND

Many proposals have been made for training aids designed to improve a golfer's swing by encouraging correct placement and movement of the golfer's feet during the swing.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,614,107 discloses a device adapted to attach to the heel of a golf shoe with a locator portion that can be driven into the ground behind the heel of the shoe to prevent the shoe lifting during the swing. U.S. Patent Publication 2004/0137998 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,156,747 disclose interconnected straps that can be secured around the golfer's feet and legs to stabilize the golfer's feet and stance during the swing. U.S. Pat. No. 7,722,473 discloses a golf training aid comprising a wedge adapted to be worn below the golfer's shoe and including an upwardly extending guide rod, the position of which relative to the golfer's hip indicating swing error if the hip contacts the guide rod. The TourFoot training device, see http://www.tourfoot.com, comprises a plate with six permanently attached spikes that can be secure to the sole of a golfer's shoe so that the spikes extend downwardly into the ground to stabilize the foot during the swing.

SUMMARY

The disclosed designs provide simple, more effective and less obtrusive teaching aids for discouraging improper movement of the forward foot during a golfer's swing. Some devices embodying the present disclosure can be quickly and easily applied to the golfer's shoe, used, removed and stored in a golf bag for future use. Other designs may be incorporated into the design of a shoe.

Embodiments of the disclosure provide a foot stabilizing device which includes a single stabilizer spike that, in use, extends downwardly from the sole of a shoe worn on the golfer's front foot to engage the ground. The spike is advantageously situated under the forefoot or metatarsal heads of the golfer's foot. The engagement of the spike in the ground reduces unwanted movement of the golfer's front foot. This device helps the golfer's foot respond properly during the golf swing to achieve the optimum ball strike. The device encourages a stabilized rolling action of the front foot during the swing.

In some embodiments, the spike extends between 1-2 inches from the sole, preferably about 1 ¾ inches.

Although the device finds its primary application on the front foot of the golfer, it may also be advantageous to use the same device on the rear foot to improve stability and movement of the rear foot during the golf swing.

In one design, the device is separate from and removably attached to the golfer's shoe using a resilient strap that encircles the foot and has a spike receiving opening to removably receive the spike. The margins of the opening may be strengthened, for example, by sewing or by a plastic and/or metal snap insert or grommet and eyelet.

The spike can be made of plastic, metal, wood or other suitable material. In some embodiments, a golf tee is used as the spike. Golf tees are inexpensive, can be purchased in quantity, and are generally a common item used by a golfer for other purposes (i.e. to support a golf ball to hit).

In one example, the device comprises a resilient strap adapted to encircle a golfer's shoe with an opening, which in use is located beneath the shoe, defined by a metal grommet and a spike extending through the opening. The spike is advantageously removably connected to the strap so that different sizes of spike can be used or broken spikes can be easily replaced. Alternatively, the spike can be permanently attached to the strap of the device. The strap can include a fastener for securing the strap in position around the shoe, such as mating Velcro portions, or a plastic and/or metal buckle, or eyelet loop.

The spike can be made of plastic, metal, and/or wood. Preferably the opening is defined by a plastic and/or metal snap insert or grommet and eyelet.

A further alternative version of the device comprises a leather strap, including a leather, plastic and/or metal buckle, a plastic and/or metal eyelet to hold the spike, and a plastic, metal, and/or wood spike.

In an alternative form, the device is attached directly to the sole of the shoe and can be folded between an operating disposition in which it extends substantially perpendicularly to the sole and a stowed disposition in which it does not extend substantially beyond the plane of the sole.

In a further version, the spike is removably attachable to the underside of the sole, for example using a screw-threaded receptacle in the sole that is engaged by a screw-threaded proximal end portion of the spike.

In another alternative attached version of the device, a spike is connected directly to the sole of the shoe by a hinged connection that enables the spike to be moved between an operating disposition in which it extends substantially perpendicularly from the underside of the sole and a folded disposition in which the spike does not extend beyond the underside of the sole.

In use, attaching the training device to the bottom of a golf shoe and pushing the spike into the ground stabilizes the golfer's front foot at impact during the golf swing. This device will promote a forward roll in the golfer's front foot and keep the toes of the front foot from rotating outward towards a position in which the front foot is perpendicular to the ball or back foot.

The device or strap will be worn on the outside of a golf shoe or any shoe worn while golfing. It will be placed so that the spike is underneath the ball of a golfer's shoe and near the pinky toe of the front foot in relation to the golf ball's direction of travel. The strap will be tightened and secured on the top of the shoe either by its own resilience, or by providing means for adjusting the length of the strap, or by providing a fastening device which allows the strap to be secured with different lengths surrounding the shoe.

Additional aspects, advantages and features of the present disclosure are included in the following description of exemplary examples thereof, which description should be taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures, wherein like numerals are used to describe the same feature throughout the figures.

A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating exemplary forms of the invention, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a view from below of a first embodiment of the disclosure attached to a golf shoe;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 3 shows a detailed view of part of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 5 shows a fourth embodiment of the disclosure; and

FIG. 6 shows a fifth embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In FIG. 1 of the drawings, a device 13 embodying one design of the disclosure is mounted on the underside of a golf shoe 11 by an elastic strap 15. The strap 15 extends around the shoe 11 and has an eyelet 17 positioned under the sole of the shoe 11 towards the front of the sole and on the side of the shoe 11 which is closest to the ball when the shoe 11 is in use. A spike 19 is removably located in the eyelet 17 and extends substantially perpendicularly to the sole, so that, in use, the spike 19 engages the ground on which the golfer is standing. In some embodiments, the spike 19 is plastic, but it may be made of other suitable materials, such as metal or wood The elastic strap 15 holds the proximal end of the spike 19 against the sole of the shoe 11.

When a golfer wants to improve his ability to strike a ball correctly, he attaches the device 13 as shown in the drawings to the shoe 11 on his front (closest to the ball) foot and, once he is in the correct position, pushes down on his front foot so that the spike 19 enters the ground. When he strikes the ball, the spike 19 will prevent, or at least substantially reduce, unwanted rotation of the front foot, improving the quality of the stroke.

FIG. 2 shows an alternative form of the invention comprising a strap 21 made of 1-inch wide, elastic webbing in this embodiment. The strap has preferably 25% elasticity, however one skilled in the art will recognize that the elasticity of the strap 21 may vary widely depending on other aspects of the design, such as length and adjustable mechanisms, and remain within the scope and spirit of the disclosure. The two ends of the strap 21 are sewn respectively to the male 23 and female 25 parts of a plastic snap buckle 27, which is shown as a curved or contoured side release buckle. One skilled in the art will recognize that the two ends of strap 21 may be connectable through mechanisms other than snap buckle 27, such as buttons, clips, knots, hook and loop tape, threaded ends, and others, and remain within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.

In this embodiment, an opening 28 is provided in the center of the strap 21 approximately halfway between the buckle parts 23 and 25. A grommet 31 is located in the opening 28 to reinforce and protect the margins of the opening 28. One skilled in the art will recognize that some embodiments may include alternatives to the grommet 31 for reinforcing the opening 28, such as additional fabric, while other embodiments do not include any material or item for reinforcing the opening 28. In some embodiments, the grommet 31 is metal, such as brass, in other embodiments, plastics may be used. The grommet 31 is dimensioned to receive the shank or lower portion of a golf tee 33. One skilled in the art will recognize that some embodiment may be designed for use with alternative spikes to the golf tee 33.

In use, the golfer inserts a golf tee 33 into the grommet 31 with the underside of the head of the tee 33 against the grommet 31 and secures the strap 21 around his shoe by means of the buckle 27, so that a head 34 of the tee 33 is against the underside of the sole of the shoe.

A further embodiment not shown in the drawings includes an elastic strap, similar to the strap 21 of the embodiment of FIG. 3. The two ends of the strap are secured to the male 43 and female 45 parts respectively of a snap buckle 47. The end secured to the female part 45 is fixed, while the attachment of the other end to the male buckle 43 is adjustable to vary the length of the strap 21. It will be appreciated that the arrangement of fixed and adjustable ends of the strap 21 could be reversed. In this form, a further fastening device, such as mating hook and loop tape patches or other connectors that may be used to hold the adjustable end of the strap 21 at its desired length.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment in which a spike 51 is permanently secured to the sole 53 of a golf shoe 55. The spike 51 is secured at one end to a first side 56 of a hinged bracket 57, the second side 58 of the hinged bracket 57 is secured to the underside of the shoe 55. The spike 51 can be moved between an operating disposition (shown in FIG. 4) in which it is substantially perpendicular to the sole 53 of the shoe 55 and a folded disposition (not shown) in which it is against the sole 53 of the shoe 55 and does not impede walking in the shoe.

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment similar to the one shown in FIG. 4, but in which the spike 51 has a screw-threaded portion 52 at its proximal end which can be removably attached to a screw-threaded receptacle 54 mounted to the sole 53 of the shoe 55. It will be appreciated that other mechanisms could be used to secure the proximal end of the spike 51 to the sole 53 of the shoe 55.

FIG. 6 shows a version of the device for use on artificial surfaces. In this version, the spike 51 shown in FIG. 5 is replaced by a plurality of rubber cleats 71. One skilled in the art will recognize that a rubber cleat 71 may be applied to other embodiments of the device in addition to that shown in FIG. 5 and remain within the scope and spirit of the disclosure.

The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the device described. 

1. A device for stabilizing a golfer's foot during a golf swing comprising: a strap of resilient material having first and second ends and a length suitable for encircling a golf shoe when the strap is at least partly stretched; said ends being secured respectively to a connecting mechanism enabling the strap to be secured in a position in which it encircles said golf shoe, an opening in the strap approximately midway between the ends of the strap; the opening being dimensioned to allow a shank of a golf tee to extend through the opening and to prevent a head of a golf tee passing through it.
 2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the margin of the opening is reinforced.
 3. A device according to claim 1, including a grommet secured in the opening.
 4. A device according to claim 1, wherein the connecting mechanism comprises a buckle having male and female parts to which the ends of the strap are respectively secured.
 5. The device according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the ends of the strap is adjustably secured to at least one of the male and the female parts of the buckle part to allow the length of the strap to be varied.
 6. A device for stabilizing a golfer's foot during a golf swing comprising: a golf shoe having a sole; a spike connected at its proximal end to the underside of the sole in a position under the forefoot of a golfer wearing the shoe.
 7. A device according to claim 6 comprising: a folding bracket having a first part secured to the sole of the shoe and a second part hinged to the first part; said spike being connected at its proximal end to the second part of the hinge and having a distal end for engaging the ground; the hinge allowing the spike to be moved between a position in which it extends substantially perpendicular to the sole of the shoe and a position in which it is substantially flush with the sole of the shoe.
 8. A device according to claim 6, wherein said spike is a golf tee.
 9. A device for stabilizing a golfer's foot during a golf swing comprising: a resilient closed band of a length suitable to encircle a golf shoe when the band is at least partly stretched; an opening in the strap approximately midway between the ends of the strap; the opening dimensioned to allow a shank of a golf tee to extend through the opening and to prevent the head of a golf tee passing through it. 